7/19/2008

Odds and Ends in Anglican-Land

The Bishops at Lambeth are on retreat. That seems a good and spiritually healthy thing and it seems to be going well.

Around the edges there are bits of strange and interesting news. Much of these tidbits are the product of the hard work of Ruth Gledhill, pictured to the right cycling into the Press Center. (Photo by Susan Russell)

Attending is Bishop Lamb of the Diocese of San Joaquin. This one is interesting because recognition by Lambeth that he is the bishop of the diocese of San Joaquin adds a certain depth to the claim that the Diocese of San Joaquin indeed has a new bishop. The Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin (Province of the Southern Cone) is not recognized any more than the Diocese of Recife (Province of the Southern Cone.) Bishop Venables and the PSC may have expanded their reach, but it is not being recognized by Lambeth.

Meanwhile Bishop Pierre Whalon, of the Convocation of American Churches in Europe, has written an oddly interesting piece titled, "Is this Woman a Heretic?" on his blog. In it he concludes that, no, she isn't. But why the question, and why in the context of the Lambeth Conference? I gather that Bishop Whalon believes that the GAFCON slam of Bishop Katharine is fairly widely held. The article certainly puts her comments and actions in the right place - liberal but not radically separated from the Church's teachings. It is worth the read and can be found HERE.

He makes two remarks, however, that I find odd.

"First of all," he writes, "some truth needs to be told, namely, that Bishop Jefferts-Schori was elected Presiding Bishop when a group of conservative bishops switched their votes in the last rounds of balloting. “They even brag about it,” said one highly-placed Anglican Communion officer to me. Why they did this is a matter of speculation. (If they thought they were electing someone they could push around, they were sorely mistaken.)" Later he writes of those "those conservative bishops who got her elected."

Conservative bishops may or may not have switched their votes for one reason or another, and speculation has abounded on this matter, but they did not get her elected. They may have been among the last to vote for her, but there were a lot of votes that came before. To say the conservative bishops got her elected or that they brag about it essentially makes all votes but the last and all support but the support of the princes of Machiavellian interests irrelevant. I wonder what value this tidbit of old and somewhat suspect analysis serves in this essay?

Then Bishop Whalon writes, "If she were to declare that there are several equally valid ways to salvation outside of Jesus Christ, this would be clear Unitarian universalism. And my letter of resignation would be on its way to 815 Second Avenue (the Presiding Bishop’s office)."

I hope he would not resign in such circumstances. In the first place Bishop Whalon is, I believe, a fine bishop, a good theologian and it is helpful to have him in the house. In the second place, the "I'm out of here" stance is precisely what we don't need. IF the Presiding Bishop were to fall over the edge into "Unitarian universalism" or some other read on the matter of salvation in Jesus Christ, then that is precisely the time to stay and push back.

The fact that Bishop Whalon is Suffragan to the Presiding Bishop and Bishop in Charge with the Convocation would make this awkward, but as in any multiple staffing it is sometimes necessary for the associate or assistant to tell the boss that what they have said or done needs to be revisited. He might well have to resign that particular post at some point, but hopefully not before he made his case for change. But we can hope that he would not resign the House of Bishops or leave the Church over such a matter. Presiding Bishops are important yes, and powerful no doubt, but they, like all bishops have limited tenure - time or mortality catches up. I have often wondered about the impatience of those who are in profound disagreement with their bishops. For most purposes the weeding will be done in plenty of time for the Big Day. The Bishop who was so formidable is wonderfully temporal.

It is sometimes believed that the only choice before us is to leave the institution if it fails us. We know of course that the institution always fails us at some level, and always fails us on some particulars. The only way to stay is to believe that over the long haul, if we all continue together and we are none of us reduced to fearful silence, the correctives will happen.

The fact is that some of the correctives will not please conservatives, and some will not please liberals, and almost none will please the radicals among us. But can we hope that over the very long haul we will be corrected by God and the results will be evident? I believe so.

4 comments:

I found +Pierre's blog article a bit strange when I read it yesterday. As are also a few of the comments from others. I found it weird that he said that he would resign twice in the article.

That aside, there are folks who pounce on ++Katharine's every word, often with great toxicity and vileness. Just check SFiF any time something hits the media from her. They are like chum thrown to starving sharks. (Forgive the oceanography metaphor, they love to refer to her as the Presiding Oceanographer.)

Perhaps I'm naive, but I fail to understand how serving under the supervision or authority of a bishop with whom one disagrees, even someone who you do not believe holds the least bit of an orthodox viewpoint, is impossible. Unless one is being actively persecuted (blacklisted, harassed, subject of ecclesiastical discipline, etc...) I fail to see where it matters what sort of theology one's bishop holds. Any Eucharist that a priest or bishop celebrates is valid, no matter their thoughts, actions or, presumably, teachings.

As I said, I may be naive, but I can't imagine resigning from any position because of a disagreement with my bishop, much less my Presiding Bishop.

I just saw this, Mark. Two replies: first, it is significant that the conservative bishops switched their votes to put Bishop Katharine over the top by one vote--and then brag about it. This is no rumor, it is fact, a fact which the PB herself accepts. That it is odd is not my problem, but theirs.

Second, I would not resign from the HoB for any reason. But representing the Episcopal Church and the PB in Europe could become impossible, and so as I said I would resign as Bishop in charge.

I just saw this, Mark+ Two comments: I think it is strange that some conservative bishops switched their votes and put Bishop Katharine over the top (by one vote). But the strangeness is their problem, not mine. I've not figured it out. But it is a fact, accepted by the PB herself.

Second, as Bishop in charge, therefore overseeing part of the PB's jurisdiction, I would resign if she were holding heterodox opinions concerning creedal doctrine. This is another way of saying that she does not. But I would not resign from the HoB.

OK... Comments, gripes, etc welcomed, but with comment moderation but with some cautions and one rule:Cautions: Calling people fools, idiots, etc, will be reason to bounce your comment. Keeping in mind that in the struggles it is difficult enough to try to respect opponents, we should at least try.Rule: PLEASE DO NOT SIGN OFF AS ANONYMOUS: BEGIN OR END THE MESSAGE WITH A NAME - ANY NAME. ANONYMOUS commentary will be cut.